Production of soy protein concentrates/isolates: traditional and membrane technologies

Production of soy protein concentrates (SPC)/isolates (SPI) by traditional acidic precipitation, ultrafiltration, electro-acidification and a novel approach combining electro-acidification and ultrafiltration is reviewed. In the context of the development of a combined electro-acidification ultrafiltration process, the impact of electro-acidification on the filtration performance of soy protein extracts is investigated. The filtration performance is assessed for a two step process, diafiltration and concentration, using a flat sheet tangential flow system. Effect of feed concentration, membrane molecular weight cut-off and feed pH during filtration will be discussed.